In sharp contrast to what phdsteve originally postulated … i.e. Yao Ming is a vastly superior player to Andrew Bynum AND the player Phil Jackson would select if asked to choose between the two, as the Center for his team …

Survey Says, “This is far from the definitive perception held by others in the on-line basketball community.”

=============================

Concerning this Corner’s specific rationale …

Table 1

ANDREW BYNUM (7-0, 285 LBS, 20 YRS)Season Averages

Year

Team/Age

G

GS

MPG

FG%

3P%

FT%

OFF

DEF

RPG

APG

SPG

BPG

TO

PF

PPG

05-06

LAL/18

46

0

7.3

0.402

0.000

0.296

0.7

1.0

1.7

0.2

0.1

0.5

0.37

1.20

1.6

06-07

LAL/19

82

53

21.9

0.558

0.000

0.668

1.7

4.2

5.9

1.1

0.2

1.6

1.40

3.00

7.8

07-08

LAL/20

35

25

28.8

0.636

0.000

0.695

3.0

7.2

10.2

1.7

0.3

2.1

1.49

2.80

13.1

08-09

LAL/21

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

09-10

???/22

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

10-11

???/23

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

11-12

???/24

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

12-13

???/25

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

13-14

???/26

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

14-15

???/27

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

Table 2

YAO MING (7-6, 310 LBS, 27 YRS)Season Averages

Year

Team/Age

G

GS

MPG

FG%

3P%

FT%

OFF

DEF

RPG

APG

SPG

BPG

TO

PF

PPG

98-99

NA/18

99-00

NA/19

00-01

NA/20

01-02

NA/21

02-03

HOU/22

82

72

29.0

0.498

0.500

0.811

2.4

5.8

8.2

1.7

0.4

1.8

2.11

2.80

13.5

03-04

HOU/23 *

82

82

32.8

0.522

0.000

0.809

2.4

6.6

9.0

1.5

0.3

1.9

2.49

3.30

17.5

04-05

HOU/24 *

80

80

30.6

0.552

0.000

0.783

2.6

5.8

8.4

0.8

0.4

2.0

2.45

3.70

18.3

05-06

HOU/25 *

57

57

34.2

0.519

0.000

0.853

2.6

7.6

10.2

1.5

0.5

1.6

2.58

3.40

22.3

06-07

HOU/26 *

48

48

33.8

0.516

0.000

0.862

2.1

7.3

9.4

2.0

0.3

2.0

3.48

3.30

25.0

07-08

HOU/27 *

55

55

37.2

0.507

0.000

0.850

3.1

7.7

10.8

2.3

0.4

2.0

3.33

3.10

22.0

As a Center in the NBA, at 20 years of age, Andrew Bynum is superior to Yao Ming in every statistical category imaginable with the following Career Averages:

Table 3

Career Averages up to 20 Years of Age

AGE

GP

GS

MPG

FG%

3P%

FT%

OFF

DEF

RPG

APG

SPG

BPG

TO

PF

PPG

ANDREW BYNUM

20 (3 Years)

163

78

19.3

0.571

0.000

0.649

1.7

3.9

5.6

1.0

0.2

1.3

1.13

2.50

7.2

YAO MING

20 (0 Years)

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

Table 4

Career Averages from 22 – 27 Years of Age

Yrs/All-Star

GP

GS

MPG

FG%

3P%

FT%

OFF

DEF

RPG

APG

SPG

BPG

TO

PF

PPG

ANDREW BYNUM

0

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

N-A

YAO MING

6/5-Time

404

394

32.5

0.520

0.111

0.826

2.5

6.6

9.2

1.6

0.4

1.8

2.65

3.30

19.0

Given the ‘Rate of Progress’ Andrew Bynum has shown during his first 3 seasons in the NBA [Table 1], at 18, 19 and 20 Years of Age, respectively, and the ‘Rate of Progress’ Yao Ming has shown from 22 – 27 Years Of Age [Table 2] … barring a major injury … it is reasonable to expect that Andrew Bynum will surpass the production values of Yao Ming, at comparable ages.

At this stage of his career [i.e. 20 Years of Age/3 seasons in the NBA], Andrew Bynum [Table 3] is a better basketball player than Yao Ming [Table 4], in terms of Field Goal Shooting Accuracy, Rebounding, Passing, Shot-blocking, Generating of Steals/Turnovers, and Overall Athleticism [Horizontal & Vertical Quickness, Explosive Power, and Coordination].

IMO, if Phil Jackson [LA Lakers coach] was asked today to choose between Yao Ming and Andrew Bynum to fill the Center position on his team, the ZenMaster would select Andrew Bynum.

Bynum runs the floor better in transition [Offensively & Defensively].Bynum is a more athletic Shot-blocker.Bynum is a better ‘finisher’, in the air, around the basket.Bynum is a better sized defender when asked/needed to ‘switch’ checks with a smaller player.

Bynum is at least as good if not a better Rebounder.Bynum is at least as good if not a better Passer.Bynum is at least as good if not a better Generator of Steals/Turnover.

Yao is a better Mid-range Shooter.Yao is a better Free Throw Shooter.

As a complimentary player to Kobe Bryant [Alpha Male No. 1], Bynum is a better fit with a team coached by Phil Jackson which uses the Triangle Offense and relies primarily on players with high levels of agility [physical & mental] on Defense and when Rebounding.